Google Is Turning Off the Works-with-Nest API • Hacker News Board

Re: Google Is Turning Off the Works-with-Nest API

#151

Post by dec0dedab0de » Wed, May 08, 2019, 2:18 AM UTC

bhhaskin wrote: post #128

Robotbeat wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unless you roll your own. But then we’re in the bad old days of home automation just for tinkerers...

I honestly have give it quite a bit of thought as to what it would take to start an open source hardware company. Everything has a user accessable API and the option to use their own firmware if they want.

and any cloud services would be AGPL

Re: Google Is Turning Off the Works-with-Nest API

#152

Post by kevin_thibedeau » Wed, May 08, 2019, 2:20 AM UTC

cortesoft wrote: post #136

DivisionSol wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've been considering pasting this: https://killedbygoogle.com/ every time the argument comes up. Maybe Google proponents will make one for other companies notorious for killing services, but at least for now, the Google Graveyard grows.

I don't quite get what people expect... do they think that once google creates something, they are obligated to continue it indefinitely? That seems like an unreasonable expectation.

I expect a "smart hub" to interoperate with a broad variety of devices. I expect existing banner features to not be revoked over petty turf wars. Google just made themselves irrelevant in yet another market.

Re: Google Is Turning Off the Works-with-Nest API

#153

Post by inlined » Wed, May 08, 2019, 2:21 AM UTC

Does any attorney want to speculate whether Google could be forced to accept returns on Nest devices now that they’re materially worse through intentional actions?

Re: Google Is Turning Off the Works-with-Nest API

#154

Post by debacle » Wed, May 08, 2019, 2:21 AM UTC

bhhaskin wrote: post #6

floatingatoll wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Correct: https://nest.com/whats-happening/#im-a-works-with-nest-devel...

Another reminder to never buy a "smart" device. At the end of the day they are pretty dumb.

There are many wonderful devices from China that have hackable APIs that don't need to phone home to Google to work. They're also much cheaper and more OSS friendly.

Re: Google Is Turning Off the Works-with-Nest API

#155

Post by asdfasgasdgasdg » Wed, May 08, 2019, 2:22 AM UTC

gordon_freeman wrote: post #13

bhhaskin wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Another reminder to never buy a "smart" device. At the end of the day they are pretty dumb.

I have Wemo smart plugs that I have plugged in all sorts of stuff like Heater, Lamps, and TV, etc connected to my Google Home and Home Mini. And I'd advise anyone to think twice before buying smart plugs or smart devices. There are so many bugs creating so many complications that I feel they are not worth using. You'd need to reconnect them with WEMO app time and again, restart these frequently if they just stop work…

If I'm reading this right, the Wemo plugs should still work? The part of the program that's ending is that Nest devices can no longer be controlled by third party apps. Devices that are controlled by Nest should still be controlled by Nest. At least, unless I have vastly misunderstood the FAQ?

Re: Google Is Turning Off the Works-with-Nest API

#156

Post by toomuchtodo » Wed, May 08, 2019, 2:23 AM UTC

jredwards wrote: post #69

Literally bought a nest thermostat yesterday. Glad it's still in the box. Wondering what the best alternative is now.

Ecobee!

Re: Google Is Turning Off the Works-with-Nest API

#157

Post by bunderbunder » Wed, May 08, 2019, 2:23 AM UTC

cortesoft wrote: post #136

DivisionSol wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've been considering pasting this: https://killedbygoogle.com/ every time the argument comes up. Maybe Google proponents will make one for other companies notorious for killing services, but at least for now, the Google Graveyard grows.

I don't quite get what people expect... do they think that once google creates something, they are obligated to continue it indefinitely? That seems like an unreasonable expectation.

No company is, and expecting any company to continue spending money on maintaining a service even if they've decided it isn't profitable is pollyannaish.

To that end, I'm not sure I see the value in framing this specifically as a Google thing. Google is maybe the most visible because of how many products it has, and how popular many of them are. But really, this sort of thing is a problem that's inherent to any IoT devices that rely on proprietary cloud services, in whole or in part.

Re: Google Is Turning Off the Works-with-Nest API

#158

Post by epc » Wed, May 08, 2019, 2:26 AM UTC

pugworthy wrote: post #63

hello_asdf wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I do. I have a command line nest app that I use to control my temperature.

So a personal project then, not a commercial one. My guess is they just lost a new customer with you. The root of my question though is this: Is most API use a hobby thing, or a professional thing businesses are build around? My assumption here is that the financial impact is trivial for them. They aren't Valve ending Half-Life modding for example. If that's not a clear analogy, Valve's enabling of modding for Half-L…

Nest's income/expense is likely a rounding error on the Google balance sheet. Killing off the Nest developer ecosystem is a choice, not driven by any economics.

I have eight Nest thermostats across two homes, and a pile of Nest cameras. My "hobbyist" use of the APIs collects and aggregates some of the data together since the Nest UI (web or mobile) is lousy at best. Given that Google Home / Google Assistant do not work* with my G Suite account, I'm not at all confident about continuing to use Nest equipment after the grand changeover to Google Home Assistant Whatever in August.

* By "do not work" I mean: You log in to a Google Home device with a G Suite account and it (the device) cannot be shared with any other accounts, and it cannot access any of your data like your calendar. Oddly Alexa has no difficulties accessing my G Suite calendar.

Re: Google Is Turning Off the Works-with-Nest API

#159

Post by AndrewKemendo » Wed, May 08, 2019, 2:27 AM UTC

electrograv wrote: post #38

I see Google API/ecosystem fans often defending or dismissing Google’s pattern of behavior here, using arguments like this: “Well, sure, they shut down that API I don’t use — big deal; all things come to an end eventually! But, they’d NEVER do that to this API I rely on — that would be so horrible, Google just would not do it!” I hope we all can acknowledge that this argument is on perpetually eroding ground, at the…

My understanding from an xoogler of how Google makes these large decisions to end services, is based on whether or not they can find a way to get the Google Ads product seamlessly integrated once the product is at a plateau in growth.

Is that backed up by anyone else?

Re: Google Is Turning Off the Works-with-Nest API

#160

Post by lgleason » Wed, May 08, 2019, 2:29 AM UTC

It really feels like Google is starting to be forced to actually make money on things or get rid of them. With Nest that means sell more of their products and ecosystem instead of supporting everybody else...given last quarter's numbers etc. it looks like they may need to begin to focus on that, especially if the ad revenues continue to go down.